This blog starts the travels of two Ohio railfans and one Niagara Falls fan as we head northward for the 2017 convention. We start our trip early, let's just say 0-dark early on Wednesday. Bram departs his Vermilion home at just about 0001 Wednesday and picks me up on the eastern side of Cleveland shortly after 0100. A quick load of the Prius and were headed east towards Buffalo and then Niagara Falls. Bill Woods joins us at about 0430 from his home in Niagara Falls and we're again headed towards the traffic of Toronto and destinations northward. Luckily even though the traffic is heavy, we sneak past all of those busy commuters as the Prius hugs the HOV lane and we hit the 400 northward just around 0600. A quick bite at the McD in Barrie and we're again in the car and headed towards Washago and our first and really only train of the day. Green light showing at Washago, although very overcast and no real shot to be had between the clouds and the overgrowth. So we we watch CN 3101, a long stack train, rumble through on its way southward before we're back and heading north on Rt. 11.
A bit of a stop at Bracebridge for Bram to shoot some of the downtown businesses, the location of the old station and and old industry location. All are for reference purposes and Bram will be glad to tell all of his new expansion plans for the layout.
Another stop at the former CP station and now hobby store in North Bay to admire all of the products on display before we make a quick lunch stop and head towards Englehart. Of course, another stop is needed in Temagami to check out the station and art display that's on hand. Unfortunately the Bee appears to be permanently closed, so it's a good thing we grabbed lunch in North Bay.
Unfortunately our arrival in Englehart by mid-afternoon sees us finding no trains or action. However, the 701 steam engine is looking fantastic since the last time I saw her, complete with new paint job. After walking around and shooting some photos of log cars, we find an ONR employee who tells us that the Rouyn-Norando train should be headed back later in the afternoon. So we adapt and check into the motel and grab some Subway before heading to Kirkwood Lake and a previously done photo stop just at the Ontario-Quebec line. After 90 minutes of so of battling the deer flies and lengthening shadows, we decide to call it and head back. A check of our string marker near the crossing by the hospital confirms that somehow we missed that train. It's been a long day, so we head back to the motel and shut-eye. Hopefully tomorrow will see us finding some rail action.
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